


Do You Wanna Build A Snowman?

by ttfan111robstar1



Series: Little Ludwig [3]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Awesome Prussia (Hetalia), Big Brother!Prussia, Brotherly Affection, Brotherly Angst, Brotherly Bonding, Brotherly Love, Brothers Germany & Prussia (Hetalia), Cuddling & Snuggling, Depression, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Germany is Ludwig Beilschmidt, Indirect Holocaust references, Inspired by Frozen (Disney Movies), Little!Germany, Men Crying, Minor Character Death, Non-Sexual Age Play, References to Depression, Snow Day, Thumb-sucking, gilbird - Freeform, only at the end though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:07:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26061658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ttfan111robstar1/pseuds/ttfan111robstar1
Summary: How building a snowman has kept Ludwig and Gilbert close through the many ups and downs of life.
Relationships: Germany & Prussia (Hetalia)
Series: Little Ludwig [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1887196
Comments: 1
Kudos: 28





	Do You Wanna Build A Snowman?

**Author's Note:**

> SURPRISE GUYS!
> 
> Two fics in under 24 hours???? No, you're not dreaming! This is really happening! I got inspired by frozen and decided to pen a fic for how their love of building snowmen bonded Luddie and Gilbert over the years. Can be read as a stand alone fic if you really want.
> 
> I hope you guys like it!
> 
> Translations:  
> Ja= Yes  
> Großer Bruder= Big Brother  
> Was ist los, Brüderchen?= What’s wrong, little brother?  
> Kleiner= Little one  
> Kind= Kid  
> kleiner Junge= Baby boy
> 
> Thanks for all the Little Luddie love! You guys rock!

**_Prussia And Germany’s Residence- 1871_**  
  
Gilbert Bielschmidt looked at the blonde-haired blue eyed little boy, who was reading on the sofa. The kid puzzled him. Ever since He’d taken Ludwig under his wing as his little brother, he’d been shy, reserved, and overtly serious and studious. Gilbert couldn’t figure it out. His brother’s personality was so different from his own boisterous one that it truly made him wonder how they were related.  
  
He’d tried on numerous occasions to get the kid to lighten up and have some fun. About the most fun he’d had was reading, so far. But it was usually educational and not for fun. He needed a way in with this kid. Or else he’d never get anywhere with him.  
  
He looked outside. It was snowing. The kid shouldn’t be inside on a snow day! He should be out having snowball fights and drinking hot chocolate and making forts! And- Wait.  
  
Getting an idea, and grinning, he flounced over to his little brother.  
  
“Hey, Luddie!”  
  
Ludwig tilted his head one side, in a familiar showing of acknowledgement of his presence but not lack of focus.  
  
“I had an idea of something we could do today.”  
  
“What is it?” He asked, not looking up from his book.  
  
“I was thinking… Do you wanna build a snowman?”  
  
At this, Ludwig turned to him, which Gilbert considered a massive victory.  
  
“Snowman?” Ludwig repeated.  
  
Gilbert grinned. “Ja. A snowman. With a face, body, and everything.”  
  
Ludwig seemed to process this new information slowly. “Can I finish my chapter first?”  
  
Gilbert looked at him. “Alright. Finish your chapter. But then get ready to go outside, because we’re gonna build an amazing snowman!”  
  
Ludwig gave him a small smile, and a nod, quickly finishing his chapter, and getting bundled up to go out in the snow.  
  
Together, they made a snowman so tall that Ludwig had to sit atop Gilbert’s shoulder’s to put his face and top hat on, and named him Klaus.  
  
Afterward, a snowball fight ensued, complete with forts, and went sledding down the hill near their home. It was the most fun Gilbert had ever seen his little brother voluntarily engage in. And when they went inside, Gilbert making hot chocolate so they could warm up after so long in the cold, he decided to make building a snowman their tradition.  
  
**_Ludwig’s Room- 1933  
  
_**“West? Come on, I know you’re in there. Open up.” Gilbert said, pounding on the door a third time in a row.  
  
His little brother hadn’t come out of his room in days. Normally the kid would be working his ass off, but depression had struck much of his country and it had affected him just as much. He hadn’t come out of his room in four days. Gilbert knew he’d likely used the connected bathroom in his bedroom, but he was certain the kid hadn’t showered. He’d brought in food for the last few days, and his brother had eaten it, but every time he’d tried to talk with him, Luddie had pushed Gilbert away.  
  
He hadn’t locked the door, however. Not until now.  
  
“West, are you okay in there? I won’t leave until you answer me. You know how persistent I am!” He said, banging on the door.  
  
After a few seconds, he listened, and heard something from behind the door.  
  
“Go away, Gilbert.”  
  
Gilbert exhaled a little in relief at hearing his brother’s voice. At least he was alive.  
  
“Come on, West. I know you’re depressed, but laying around feeling sorry for yourself isn’t going to help anything. I want my awesome little brother back, not this mopey one who lies around the house all day and doesn’t even do his paperwork!”  
  
He heard Ludwig sigh. “I get it done… Enough. Just leave me alone. I don’t want to be bothered.”  
  
“Well, we’re family. I bother you by relational duty. As such, it’s my duty to keep bugging you until you feel better. I gave you a few days to sulk and get it out of your system, but now it’s time to buck up!”  
  
Ludwig gave a frustrated sigh. “There is nothing you can do to cheer me up!” He exclaimed.  
  
“Oh really?”  
  
“Ja."  
  
“So I guess you don’t want to build a snowman with me, then?”  
  
Silence on the other end of the door.  
  
“We got just enough snowfall today to be able to make Klaus again. But I guess if you don’t want to come, I’ll have to make him without you. And go sledding alone. And have a snowball fight with myself. And I guess I can’t even enjoy my hot chocolate with you in frowny-town. So I guess I’ll have to do it alone.” Gilbert said, sighing defeatedly, and beginning to slowly walk away from the door.  
  
He didn’t get ten steps before his brother poked his head out the door.  
  
“Klaus?”  
  
Gilbert nodded, keeping his face neutral when he really wanted to explode with glee. “I even got a top hat and scarf just for the occasion.” He said, making himself sound disappointed.  
  
Ludwig hardly showed any emotion at all, but Gilbert knew he couldn’t stand it when his brother sounded disappointed.  
  
“I… Suppose I’ll come help. You can’t do his face or hat without me. You’re too short."  
  
Gilbert allowed himself to smile and hugged his brother. “You’re awesome, West. Now let’s get started on that snowman.”  
  
**_Ludwig’s Home Office- 1945  
  
_**Gilbert felt his whole body being weighed down by unimaginable depression. It had taken all of his strength to get out of bed that day.  
  
The meeting had been horrendous. The worst thing he’d ever been forced to witness. The reparations the other nations were making his brother pay were taxing enough (pun intended), but the absolute vitriol spewed at him by other nations was enough to make Gilbert sick. How dare they? How dare they…  
  
Just because some people in West’s country made some fucked up decisions didn’t mean it was his brother’s fault! They’d all sat there, noses high in the air, as though his little brother was beneath him. As though he wasn’t even a part of the world anymore, because some of those in his country had committed heinous crimes against humanity. They all acted like it was West’s fault, but Gilbert knew better. It wasn’t his brother’s fault at all. He was just a scapegoat while the real person to blame took the coward’s way out and killed himself.  
  
Watching his brother being scorned by every nation for things entirely out of his control was the most sickening thing Gilbert had ever seen in his life. No amount of beer could wash away the screaming that still lingered in his ears or the vicious faces still trapped in his mind’s eye. He’d gotten wasted out of his mind that evening, not even fit to help his brother in such an atrocious state. His hangover that morning had been absolutely awful, but it was nothing compared to how awful he felt emotionally. Ludwig was acting fine, as though it hadn’t bothered him, but Gilbert knew. He knew far better.  
  
Garnering his strength, he raised his hand and knocked thrice on his brother’s office door. The fact that he was knocking at all was completely out of character for him, but after what he saw yesterday he had to wonder if he could ever feel like himself again- or if his brother could either.  
  
“Ludwig?” His voice sounded so pitiful and defeated, and God did he hate it, but he couldn’t stop it either. He took a breath. “Please… I know you’re in there. I know you don’t want to be bothered. But I’m afraid for you, and for me too… Just let me in. I know that was too much to take even for you. I know you want to shut me out, but I don’t know what else to do…” Gilbert rested his head against the door. “Do you want to build a snowman?” It was a whisper.  
  
On the other side of the door, Ludwig found himself crying into his arms amid stacks of paperwork, and shoved them off.  
  
They fell around the room like snow.  
  
**_Gilbert’s Room- 1946  
  
_**Ludwig couldn’t ever remember being so scared in his entire life.  
  
He’d never ever seen his big brother so sad, but then again, he’d never seen his brother in such mourning before.  
  
The only other time he thought his brother might have been so depressed was before he was even formed- when Old Fritz had passed away. He would have been scared to see his brother in such a state, but this one was just as bad.  
  
It had been two days since Gilbird had passed away, and Gilbert had been utterly beside himself with loss. Ludwig supposed he’d be the same when Aster, Blackie, and Berlitz passed away, but he couldn’t bring himself to think about that. Right now, his brother needed him.  
  
For every major trauma in his life, Gilbert had been there through it all. Ludwig wouldn’t be able to call himself his brother if he didn’t do the same.  
  
He thought he knew what he could do but was more than a bit nervous about it. But for Gilbert, he’d try.  
  
He’d never actually regressed without anyone there to care for him before. But if he was going to get Gilbert to come out, he had to bank on his brother’s fraternal instincts kicking in to do so. It wasn’t as though his headspace was that far away anyways, considering how concerned he’d been about his brother’s welfare.  
  
He sat down outside his brother’s door. He had to do this before he entered or else Gilbert would know what he was up to. If he went in big and his brother told him to go away, and he went into his headspace after that, it would only add guilt and feelings of burden to the mourning Gilbert was already doing.  
  
He removed his gloves and stuck his thumb in his mouth, beginning to suckle on it. The sensation of calm overwhelmed him, and he finally allowed himself to sink into the headspace that had been close at hand for the past few days. The world grew larger and far more frightening by the second as he waited outside the ever-looming door. Though he was little now, he knew what his mission was.  
  
Operation big brother was now underway!  
  
Getting up was more difficult now, undoubtedly due to a lack of balance he didn’t have when grown, but he managed it, and carefully opened his brother’s door. Had he been grown, he might have thought to be thankful that his brother never locked it.  
  
Opening it, the sight that met him made him want to cry- and he did. Gilbert lay sprawled out on his pillow, staring blankly at an empty cage. Feeling tears making their way down his face and wishing desperately for his beloved Blankie, he called on every ounce of courage he had to cross the room.  
  
“G’lbr’t?” Came the tiny, sniffling whimper. When it didn’t rouse Gilbert’s attention, he let out a small sob and tried to shake him a little. “Großer Bruder?”  
  
Then- at last!- Movement. Big brother sat up and turned to him, but he didn’t look happy like normal.  
  
“Hmmm?” It was somewhere between a huff and a grunt. But it was something, and that was enough to encourage him.  
  
“I scared.” He said, eyes wide, frightened, and clearly upset. It wasn’t even a lie. He _was_ scared. Scared that Big Brother would go away and be sad forever!  
  
Gilbert seemed to wrestle with himself a moment- perhaps fending off the urge to tell his baby brother to go away- before he spoke.  
  
“What’s scaring you, Kind?” He asked. It wasn’t quite his usual gentle tone, but there was enough of it there to make Luddie feel like he cared.  
  
The caring was enough to make him sob more, and he leapt into his brother’s arms and lap without ceremony, knocking him back on the bed. A rush of air escaped Gilbert, and despite feeling as though he’d been punched in the stomach, his concern overruled his anger, and he started rubbing his little brother’s back.  
  
“Was ist los, Brüderchen?” Gilbert asked, sounding much more like his usual self.  
  
“I wan’ my b’uder back!” He sobbed. “I dun like bu’der bein’ sad! I dun wan’ bu’der to go way an’ leave me ‘lone an’ never come back! I wan’ the bu’der who sings me songs an’ makes me smile an’ always laughs an’ loves me! I wan’ my bu’der back!” Came the screeching sob. “I dun wan’ you t’ go ‘way, G’lb’rt.” Came the softer whisper. “P’ease come back!”  
  
How long he cried, Luddie didn’t know. His arms were locked around his brother’s neck in a vice grip and his legs locked around his brother’s waist as he sobbed into his shoulder. He didn’t- _couldn’t_ \- express fear when he was big, but it poured out of him when he was little. All the feelings he suppressed overflowed like a fountain, and he couldn’t stop them even if he wanted to. But it felt so good to get it out of his system, that he almost didn’t notice when his brother began slowly rubbing his back and carding a hand through his hair.  
  
“I’m sorry I scared you, Kleiner.” Gilbert said softly, and pecked his little brother on the crown of his head. “That was not what I wanted to do. I didn’t see that I was doing that. I was too sad to notice. I’m not going anywhere, chiclet.” He soothed.  
  
Luddie regarded him through teary baby blues. “You p’omise?”  
  
Gilbert gave a weak smile, and nodded. “I promise.”  
  
Satisfied, Luddie cuddled into him, shifting onto his lap as he resumed suckling his thumb. He did good! Operation big brother was a success.  
  
“G’lb’rt?”  
  
“Yes, kleiner Junge?”  
  
“B’uder sad still?”  
  
Gilbert gave him a sad little smile. “A little. But it’s much better now that you’re here.”  
  
“I fix!”  
  
“Oh? You’re going to fix it?”  
  
“Ja! I know!”  
  
“Tell me, then, chickadee. How will you fix it?”  
  
With a devilish grin that could have only been learned from Gilbert himself, Luddie whipped around, looked him dead in the eye, popped his thumb from his mouth and looked at him with an expression that could almost be considered smug.  
  
“You wanna build a snowman?”  
  
Gilbert looked momentarily surprised, followed by impressed, before a soft smile graced his face.  
  
That day, Klaus the snowman was reborn, but with one added special touch- a bird of snow on his shoulder.

**Author's Note:**

> For those of you wondering: Yes, I do feel absolutely awful about Gilbird. No, I can't say I regret it because the alternative would have been Gilbert himself dying and I can't even with that. And Yes, I did cry a lot writing this fic. I am not heartless. I love that tiny sweet bird. Gilbird's death won't be in this universe's canon though, so y'all can rest easy with that. It just needed to happen here for plot furthering. Shameful, I know XD
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
